Ice tray and grid



1951 s. w. E. ANDERSSON ICE TRAY GRID Filed May 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BY ,mzwi W 5%M XTTORNEY.

eb- 2 19 1 v s. w. E. ANDEIVQSSON 2,542,105

ICE TRAY AND GRID Filed May 4, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN 1 OR.

M w. 2. W I f%%/ LAWORNEY.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 ICE TRAY AND GRID Sven W. E. Andersson, Evansville, Ind., asslgnor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1931, Serial No. 140,610

25 Claims. (01. 62-1085) My invention relates to refrigeration, and more particularly to ice trays and grids for use in production of ice cubes in refrigerators.

In removing grids from ice trays in which they are positioned, it has generally been the practice to provide a lever on a grid which is adapted to act directly against the upper edge of flange of a tray to develop the necessary force to release the grid and ice cubes from a tray. When removing a grid from a tray in this manner the ice cubes at the ends of the tray quite often break to pieces. This is objectionable because pieces of the ice cubes are left sticking to the corners and bottoms of the tray after the grid has been removed.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improvement for removing a grid from a tray whereby the likelihood of breaking the end ice cubes is minimized.

Another object is to provide an improved flexible grid which is inexpensive to manufacture and from which ice cubes can easily be removed by a simple bending action of the grid.

A further object is to remove a flexible grid from a tray by force applied to the bottom of the tray with the aid of force multiplying mechanism including a lever, the lever thereafter being operative to flex the grid.

A still further object is to provide an improved flexible grid having hooks or catches to limit the extent of flexing of the grid. The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and of which Fig. l is a plan view of an ice tray within which is positioned a flexible grid embodying the invention with one of the levers broken away; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the grid taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l with levers at both ends of the grid; Fig. 3 and 4 are an end and side views, respectively, of a transverse partition of the grid shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a longitudinal partition member of the grid shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the manner in which the grid is removed from the tray; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the flexible grid bent or bowed to illustrate more clearly the manner in which ice cubes are removed therefrom; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a modification of the invention; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In Fig. l, a grid I0 is shown positioned in an ice tray ll having an outward extending flange l2 about the upper edges of its walls. The flange I 2 at one end of the tray is made wider than at the sides and opposite end and is bent downward at its outer edge to provide a finger grip for the tray.

The grid l0 comprises a plurality of spaced transverse partitions or dividing members I which are substantially the same depth as the tray II and extend between the longitudinal side walls thereof. The transverse partitions M are bent intermediate their ends to form a plurality of short longitudinal wall portions I 5 with one side of each partition l4 oifset'with respect to the other side thereof. The lower parts of the longitudinal wall portions l5 of the partitions ll are slightly narrower than the upper parts and the extreme lower edges thereof are rounded, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

Adjacent to the longitudinal wall portions I I both sides of the transverse partitions II are slotted, as indicated at l6 and I! in Fig. 4, to receive the projecting parts or tabs l8 of adjacent longitudinal partitions or dividing members I. At each transverse partition M the tab l8 of a partition I 9 bears against one side of a longitudinal wall portion [5 and the tab ill of an adjacent partition l9 bears against the opposite side of the longitudinal wall portion IS.

The longitudinal partitions l9 overlap, that is. one tab I8 of each partition l9 bears against one side of a longitudinal wall portion l-5 of a transverse partition l4 and the other tab l8 bears against the opposite side of a longitudinal wall portion l5 of an adjacent transverse partition I.

The bottom corners of the longitudinal partitions l9 and short longitudinal wall portions l5 are provided with openings to receive pins 20 so that the longitudinal partitions [9 are directly hinged or pivotally connected to the transverse partitions H. The sides of the longitudinal partitions is are notched, as indicated at 2| in Fig. 5, and the tabs 18 extend upward above the slots l6 and I1 to form hooks or catches 22.

The longitudinal partitions I9 intermediate the ends have straight top edges while the end partitions are formed to provide a raised part 23 adjacent to which are formed hollow or depressed parts 24. Levers 25 to remove the grid Hi from the tray ll are pivotally connected by pins 30 to the raised parts 23 of the end partitions I 9. The short arms of the levers 25, which are disposed above the depressed parts 24 of the end partitions IS in Fig. 2, are pivotally connected by pins 3| to the upper ends of vertically movable members 26.

The members 25 at the ends of the grid may be formed of sheet metal stampings which are notched and then folded or bent to provide a lower U-shaped part and upward extending arms which are pivotally connected by the pins 3| in elongated openings 21 in the levers 25. The lower parts of the end partitions l9 are provided with vertical slots 28 to receive and guide the lower U-shaped parts of the vertical members 25.

When the levers 25 are in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 the lower edges of the mem-. bers 25 are substantially flush with the bottom edges of the end partitions l9 and adapted to contact the bottom of the tray II when it is positioned therein. When the levers 25 are pulled upward from their horizontal position the vertical members 25 are moved downward whereby force is applied directly to the bottom of the tray at regions adjacent the end walls. By providing the elongated openings 21 in the short arms of the levers 25, the latter can be moved a short distance before the vertical members are moved By moving the levers 25 outward and away from.

each other, the transverse and longitudinal par titions l4 and i9 are bowed or arched, as shown in Fig- 7.

In using the grid 18 just described, the grid is positioned in a tray, as shown in Fig. 1, and the latter is filled with water. After the water has been frozen and ice cubes have been produced by placing the tray in a cooling element of a refrigerator, the tray is taken out of the cooling element and the grid removed from the tray in the manner described above. The levers 25 and vertically movable members 26 constitute force multiplying mechanisms which may be operated simultaneously so that a relatively great separating force will be exerted against the bottom of the tray near the end walls. The tray H is preferably formed of sheet metal of such thickness that the force applied to the tray bottom near the end walls will cause suflicient flexing of the tray to break the bond with the ice cubes. By applying the separating force in this manner, the tendencyof breaking the end ice cubes is when the grid is removed from the tray with the ice pieces clinging thereto.

With the levers 25 held in the vertical position shown in Fig. 6, they may be simultaneously moved outward and away from each other to flex and bow the grid. The flexing of the grid moves the longitudinal partitions I9 away from the sides of the transverse partitions M, the tabs i8 assisting in breaking the ice cubes away from the partitions or dividing members. The hooks or catches 22 limit the amount of flexing of each partition IS with respect to an adjacent transverse partition M, so that the force applied to l the levers 25 will be transmitted throughout the grid from the ends toward the center until all of the ice cubes are released.

Instead of having the lower comers of the tabs l8 square or rounded, it may be desirable to provide a lug or horizontal projection 29 at these corners, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to help eject the ice cubes from the grid when it is flexed. In

a similar manner, the lower ends of the vertically movable members 26 may also be provided with tabs or horizontally extending projections to increase the area of contact when the members 26 are moved downward to remove the grid from the tray.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in which single wall partitions are used, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made, and that certain features may be independently used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a tray body, a grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, and means including a part movable beyond the lower edge of said grid member for applying a force only on the bottom of said tray body to raise said grid member with respect to said tray body with the ice pieces clinging to said grid member.

2. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a tray body having a bottom and side and end walls, a grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, and means including a member in-addition to said grid member arranged to bear against the bottom of said tray body and movable toward said tray bottom to apply a separating force capable of flexing said tray body to remove said grid member from said tray body.

3. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a tray body having a flexible bottom and side and end walls, a grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, and force multiplying means including a lever pivoted on said grid member and a vertically movable member in addition to said grid member arranged to contact the bottom of said tray body near an end wall thereof to exert a separating force to remove said grid from the tray body.

4. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a tray body having a bottom and side and end walls, a grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, and force multiplying means including levers pivoted at both ends of said grid member above the normal liquid level of said tray body and one or more members movable beyond the lower edge of said grid member to apply a separating force against the bottom of said tray body without engaging the end walls thereof to raise said grid member from said tray body.

5. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a, tray body having a bottom and side and end walls, a flexible grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, said distortable grid member ineluding a plurality of partitions or dividing members movable with respect to each other, and force multiplying means including a lever pivoted on said grid member and an additional member movable beyond the lower edge of said grid member to apply a separating force against the bottom of said tray body without engaging an end wall thereof to raise said grid from said wall portions and ofl'set transverse portions extending from opposite sides thereof, and separate longitudinal dividing members arranged between and movable with respect to said longitudlnalwall portions.

7. A grid for refrigeratorsincluding spaced transverse dividing members and longitudinal dividing members arranged between said transverse members, said transverse dividing mem-' bers having offset sides and longitudinal wall portions overlapping the ends of said longitudinal dividing members.

8. A grid as defined in claim 7 in which the offset sides of said transverse dividing members have slots to receive the ends of said longitudinal dividing members.

9. A grid as defined in claim 7 in which the offset sides of said transverse dividing members have slots adjacent the longitudinal wall portions thereof to receive the ends of said longitudinal dividing members, and means to pivotally connect the ends of said longitudinal dividing members and said transverse dividing members at the longitudinal wall portions of the latter.

10. A distortable grid for refrigerator ice trays including a plurality of intersecting partitiom or dividing members arranged to form open sided ice forming compartments, said partitions or dividing members bling movable with respect to each other, and means on some of said partitions extending through the planes of other of said partitions to limit the extent of relative movement of said partitions.

11. Ice freezing apparatus comprising a tray body having a bottom and a side wall about the periphery of the bottom, a grid member removably fitting into said tray body and adapted to form a plurality of ice pieces, and force multiplying means including a lever pivoted on said grid member and a member movable beyond the lower edge of said grid memb:r to exert a separating force against the bottom of said tray body to raise said grid member therefrom, said lever normally being disposed in a, horizontal position and operative to exert such separating force when moved upwardly from its horizontal position.

12. An ice cube tray comprising a receptacle, a grid structure for said receptacle comprising a plurality of transverse plates each provided with an opening, a plurality of longitudinal plates each provided with a. projection lying in the vertical plane thereof and extending from each vertical edge thereof through one of said openings, pivot means connecting one projection or each longitudinal plate with the next adjacent longitudinal plate whereby said longi tudinal plates are mounted to turn with respect to said pivot means and whereby each projection will move over one face of one of said longitudinal plates to loosen an ice cube therefrom.

13. The combination with an ice tray of a grid positioned therein and freely removable therefrom as a unit; said grid comprising a set of relatively movable elements extending longitudinally of said grid; a second set of elements relatively movable with respect to each other and forming partitions extending transversely from the first mentioned set, to provide walls of ice cube compartments and means carried by certain of the elements of one of said sets and arranged to project into said compartments and break the bond between the ice cubes and the grid and sweep sz id cubes along surfaces of one 8 set of partitions upon shifting of the elements of the first set with respect to each other.

14. An ice cube forming grid comprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of spaced transverse partitions extending through the longitudinal partition from one side of the grid to the other and forming walls of ice cube compartments of predetermined dimensions, said longitudinal partition being made up of a plurality of sections pivotally connected one to another so as to be movable relative to each other and to said transverse partitions to enlarge said ice cube compartments, means connected to the longitudinal section of one compartment and extending into an adjacent compartment for shifting the ice cube relative to said adjacent compartment when said longitudinal sections are moved relative to each other.

15. An ice cube forming grid comprising a set of elements, and a second set of elements; pivot means connecting the elements of the first set to form a partition extending longitudinally of the grid; the elements of the second set being uniformly spaced and extending transversely from one side of the grid to the other through said partition and connected with the latter to form ice cube compartments of predetermined size, hook-like means on each element of one of said sets and arranged to engage an element of the other of said sets to limit movement of the elements of the first mentioned set around said pivot means.

16. Anice cube forming grid comprising a longitudinal partition and a plurality of spaced transverse partitions extending through the iongitudinal partition from one side of the grid to the other, and forming walls of ice cube compartments of predetermined dimensions, said longitudinal partition being made up of sections each having a hook-like portion, means pivotally connecting said sections one to another; said transverse partitions being arranged to enlarge said compartments and break the bond between the ice cubes and the grid when said sections are moved about said pivots and to engage said hooklike portions to limit the pivotal movement of the sections around said pivots.

17. In combination, an ice tray, a grid removably disposed therein and cooperating therewith to divide the tray into a plurality of ice cube compartments, said grid comprising a longitudinal partition wall formed of a plurality of elements movable relative to each other, a plurality of transverse partition elements spaced along said longitudinal wall and movable relative thereto and to each other, means on said grid for raising same relative to the tray and for thereafter moving said elements relative to each other to break the frozen bond between the ice cubes and said elements, and means carried by some of said elements to shift said ice cubes relative to said compartments.

18. A distortable grid removably fitting in an ice freezing tray and comprising a plurality of spaced transverse dividing members, a plurality of vertical longitudinal dividing members separate from and arranged between said transverse members to form open sided ice forming compartments when removed from the tray, means pivotally connecting said transverse and longitudinal members so that they may be angularly moved apart, and hooks or catches formed on said longitudinal members for engaging the transverse members to limit the angular movement of said members.

Y 19. A distortable grid removably fitting in an ice freezing tray and including a plurality of spaced transverse dividing members, a plurality of vertical longitudinal dividing members arranged between said transverse members to form open sided ice forming compartments when said grid is removed from the tray, means operatively associating said transverse and longitudinal members so that they may be angularly moved apart,

said transverse members having slots to receive projecting portions of said longitudinal members, and said projecting portions having hooks or catches to limit the extent of angular movement of said members.

20. A distortable grid removably fitting in an ice freezing tray and including a plurality of spaced cross partitions bent to provide longitudinal wall portions, a single wall longitudinal partition transverse to said cross partitions and cooperating with said longitudinal wall portions, and said longitudinal and cross partitions being operatively associated so that said grid may be distorted to angularly move said cross and longitudinal partitions with respect to each other.

21. An ice cube tray comprising a receptacle, a grid structure arranged in said receptacle and comprising a substantially vertical longitudinal separator formed of a plurality of elements connected for relative movement with respect to each other in their own planes and a plurality of transverse substantially vertically arranged sections each connected for relative movement with respect to the adjacent longitudinal sections, lever means for efiecting relative movement of said longitudinal and transverse sections to separate ice cubes from said grid structure and from said receptacle, and means movable upon relative movement between adjacent longitudinal sections for assisting in separating ice cubes from at least a plurality of such sections.

22. A removable partition assembly for a freezing tray including a plurality of alined longitudinal partition elements and a plurality of transverse partition elements arranged between said longitudinal elements, said longitudinal and transverse elements cooperating to form side walls of a plurality of ice block compartments, means for retaining said partition elements in assembled relation and for affording relative bodily movement between said elements, said longitudinal elements being angularly movable with respect to each other in their plane of alinement, means adapted to move said elements with respect to each other for breaking a frozen bond between said partition elements and ice blocks frozen between said compartment walls, and means including projections on each of said longitudinal elements for facilitating the breaking of the frozen bond between said blocks and the adjacent ones of said transverse members.

23. In a grid for ice trays, individual longitudinal and transverse wall pieces, means to tie the wall pieces together at their lower edges so that the grid may be bowed, and means on the longitudinal wall pieces at the upper parts thereof for limiting relative movement of the wall pieces on bowing the grid.

24. In a grid for ice trays, individual longitudinal and transverse wall pieces, means totie the wall pieces together so that the grid may be bowed, and extensions on the longitudinal wall pieces traversing the transverse pieces for limiting the relative movement of the wall pieces on bowing the grid.

25. A grid having sets of contacting transverse walls, longitudinal wall members extending between said transverse walls, means to hold the parts so that the sets of transverse walls may be spread in flaring fashion, the transverse walls of a set being fastened in part and not fastened in part, so as to separate on flaring the grid with ice formed thereon, and means on the longitudinal wall members forming abutments serving to limit the amount of separation of the transverse walls after apredetermined free flaring movement.

SVEN W. E. ANDERSSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hallock Sept. 21, 1948 

